Oliva Closes After More Than 10 Years at 161 East Houston

Hope you paid your final respects to Oliva while it lasted because the decade-old eatery is dead. Game over; no more quarters, no more continues…

For the last couple weeks, the longtime purveyor of Spanish tapas at 161 East Houston has been locked behind security gates, even during the weekend nights. Then a subtle handwritten sign appeared in the front door which informs former patrons that “renovations” are afoot inside the establishment. Of course we know better. The so-called renovations referred to here are probably for the new culinary tenant, code-named Mundo New York.

Mundo New York, as previously reported, is a new Mediterranean concept from the hand of Bahr Rapaport. At this month’s SLA meeting with Community Board 3, the establishment was awarded a full on-premise liquor license, but denied an extension of operating hours.